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Good Samaritan Fund Grant Recipients, 2003
In May 2003 LIRS and Wheat Ridge Ministries awarded a total of $99,200 in grants to 26 Lutheran congregations in 21 states through the Good Samaritan Fund. The grantees are listed below in alphabetical order by state.
ELCA=Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
LCMS=Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod |
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California
Bethlehem Ethiopian Church (Mission)
(LCMS), Berkeley
Contact: The Rev. Dereje Fantaye, 510/848-7450
Award: $4,000
Project: Bethlehem will provide ESL training, computer
literacy classes and a job development program for the many Ethiopians
who settle in the area and come to the church. The grant will go toward
hiring a paid coordinator and job development worker.
Colorado
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Colorado Springs
Contact: The Rev. Dr. Keith Knoff, 719/634-1053
Award: $3,200
Project: Mt. Calvary began ESL classes in January,
serving primarily Sudanese former refugees. The congregation will
increase capacity to serve up to 75 persons a week. Ten church volunteers
make up the teaching staff. Each instructor will serve up to 15 students
per class. Mt. Calvary will purchase curriculum materials, software
and hardware for the classes. They will also offer childcare during
adult class time.
Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Dillon
Contact: The Rev. Kari Reiquam, 970/468-6809
Award: $5,000
Project: This congregation will provide ESL and literacy
classes, living skills training, family health care screening, housing
and employment assistance for asylum seekers and asylees in the area.
Office space will be provided for a caseworker and clothing and food
will be collected for distribution.
Delaware
The Lutheran Church of Our Savior (LCMS),
Rehoboth Beach
Contact: The Rev. Don Schaefer, 302/227-3066
Award: $4,000
Project: Delaware Hispanic Outreach, a ministry of
Our Savior Lutheran Church, will offer ESL classes to Hispanic women.
The program will be staffed by volunteers who are fluent in Spanish
and will be open to all regardless of income.
District of Columbia
Iglesia Luterana Santa Maria
(ELCA)
Contact: The Rev. Leonel A. Cruz, 202/462-3237
Award: $4,000
Project: The congregation will develop an educational
program, Faith and Art Latino, that uses artistic expression to allow
emotional and self-expression and to bring a product to market. Adults
and children will learn to paint with oil on canvas and wood in the
style of their cultures, learning to portray the life of the immigrant
community and to appreciate their own values and traditions. There
will be neighborhood exhibits of participants' work at restaurants,
the church and a special party. Staff will be paid to teach and coordinate.
Florida
Salem Haitian Evangelical Lutheran
Church (LCMS), Lake Worth
Contact: The Rev. Elie Louissaint, 561/586-5691
Award: $1,500
Project: Salem will provide meals to anyone on Wednesdays
and Sundays on a what-you-can-afford basis. The congregation will
hire a kitchen manager to obtain food, store it properly, account
for it, plan menus and organize the weekly meal service.
Hospital del Alma Lutheran Church (LCMS),
Leisure City
Contact: The Rev. Benito Perez-Lopez, 305/247-0459
Award: $3,500
Project: Lutheran Center to Help the Needy provides
ESL, citizenship classes, pastoral counseling, computer training,
immigration counseling and other services. The grant funds will be
used to expand to reach a larger number of Hispanics, and their English-speaking
neighbors, over a broader geographical area.
Iowa
Trinity Lutheran Church (LCMS), Des
Moines
Contact: The Rev. Michael C. Wolfram, 515/279-3609
Award: $4,000
Project: Trinity will open HISministry (Hispanic
Immigrant Support Ministry) to assist Spanish speakers with English
language acquisition. They will offer up to five ESL classes, including
cultural content, and provide daycare for children whose parents attend.
Maryland
St. Stephen Lutheran Church
(ELCA), Silver Spring
Contact: The Rev. Anne Dwiggins, 301/622-1273
Award: $4,000
Project: St. Stephen will offer beginner and intermediate
ESL classes for three 10-week semesters each year with two classes.
Massachussetts
First Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Lynn
Contact: The Rev. Neal Halvorson-Taylor, 781/598-0481
Award: $4,000
Project: First Lutheran's African Women’s Empowerment
Group (AWEG) will organize English classes and forums on subjects
such as leadership, job interview preparation, American cultural orientation
and health services access.
Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA), Worcester
Contact: The Rev. Christopher G. Hoyer, 508/753-2989
Award: $3,500
Project: Trinity will provide childcare for immigrant
women who attend ESL and acculturation classes at the local LIRS affiliate,
Lutheran Community Services of Southern New England.
Michigan
Christ Lutheran Church (LCMS),
Lansing
Contact: The Rev. David Thiele, 517/482-2252
Award: $4,000
Project: The church will open its facilities for
“learning weekends,” offering computer classes in English
and three other languages. Current classes are during the weekdays,
so this will open up more concentrated times on the weekends. The
grant will purchase interactive computer programs and pay for staffing
and interpreters for the weekend program.
Minnesota
St. Olaf Lutheran Church (ELCA), Minneapolis
Contact: The Rev. Dale Hulme, 612-529-7727
Award: $4,000
Project: St. Olaf will purchase software for basic
office skills and ESL instruction for immigrants in the community.
The church council will work with the Liberian Community Initiative
to develop a handbook of American culture and will provide space for
acculturation classes. Paid and volunteer West African adults will
work with children and youth programs including after school tutoring,
arts and crafts, and vacation Bible school. A youth ministry club
will focus on outdoor activities, community service and peer counseling.
Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA), Minneapolis
Contact: The Rev. Jane Buckley-Farlee, 612/333-2561
Award: $3,000
Project: As part of a New Neighbors Network, volunteers
from Trinity will help with programs to introduce new immigrants in
the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis to resources and services
in the community that will help them to become self-sufficient. They
will visit newcomers to explain materials.
Nebraska
Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey (ELCA),
Omaha
Contact: The Rev. Maria Liz Conner, 402/734-6957
Award: $5,000
Project: Christo Rey will renovate part of the church
fellowship hall to install a computer lab so they can provide Spanish,
ESL and computer classes to adults. The space will also be used by
the congregation’s Project Embrace after-school program.
New York
Ashirwad Lutheran Ministry (ELCA),
Floral Park
Contact: The Rev. Daniel Peter Penumaka, 718/343-5054
Award: $4,000
Project: Ashirwad will expand ESL to the spring,
and computer classes to the fall with updated networking and supplies.
The computer facility will also be available for children in the congregation’s
after-school program.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA), New
Rochelle
Contact: The Rev. Eric Swensson, 914/632-4692
Award: $3,500
Project: The congregation will develop a computer
skills class at the church to complement the after school program,
parenting, nutrition and ESL classes. Funds will purchase 10 used
computers for use by 12 students.
Zion Lutheran Church (ELCA), New Hartford
Contact: The Rev. Roger Beiswenger, 315/732-4110
and
Our Savior Lutheran Church (ELCA), Utica
Contact: The Rev. Anita Mohr, 315/732-0134
Award: $3,000
Project: The members of both congregations will partner
with the Neighborhood Center of Utica, an agency of the United Methodist
Church, to develop a reading program for children 3-12. The project
will also purchase books for church volunteers to use in the Neighborhood
Center’s reading program.
Pennsylvania
Freedom of Faith Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Bensalem
Contact: The Rev. Galina Valeeva, 215/741-1189
Award: $3,000
Project: The congregation will develop a food pantry
and stock it with food and baby formula for needy Russian families.
Grant funds will be used for purchasing food, setting up a food pantry,
and organizing and transporting food baskets to needy immigrants in
the neighborhood.
Tabor Lutheran Church (ELCA), Philadelphia
Contact: The Rev. Andreas Wagner, 215/455-1706
Award: $3,500
Project: Tabor will purchase newer computer hardware
and software for an after-school program for immigrant children.
South Carolina
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church
(ELCA), Charleston
Contact: The Rev. Richard R. Campbell, 843/579-0420
Award: $4,000
Project: St. Matthew’s will develop a social
integration course, ESL Involved, to engage immigrants in local volunteer
work and to help them develop a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle in
the community.
Tennessee
Amazing Grace Lutheran Church (LCMS),
Memphis
Contact: The Rev. Russell Belisle, 901/761-9525
Award: $3,500
Project Plan: Members of Amazing Grace will provide training in English
as a Second Language (ESL) at several levels. Five members attended
16 hours of training to become ESL teachers. The grant money will
pay for computers and software to be used in one-on-one tutoring.
Thirty students will attend the weekly classes and another 20 can
use the computers at other times.
Texas
Centro de Fey Esperanza (LCMS), Houston
Contact: The Rev. Luciano Vega-Ayala, 713/673-7862
Award: $5,000
Project: There are 85 people registered for the church's
pilot ESL class that began this winter. The congregation plans to
offer at least three ESL classes, accommodating 150-200 people. Free
childcare will be available for parents attending the class. The children
will also receive activities and lessons to improve their English.
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS),
Irving
Contact: The Rev. Michael McFarland, 972/255-0595
Award: $4,000
Project: Our Redeemer will expand the number of ESL
classes the congregation already provides. The church will also provide
childcare for children whose parents attend classes.
Virginia
Holy Cross Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Herndon
Contact: The Rev. Douglas P. Jones, 703/476-4232
Award: $5,000
Project: Holy Cross will provide evening ESL classes.
Eight volunteer teachers have already been trained and will teach
16 students referred by the Herndon Resource Center. Students will
pay $15 for each class. Soon the teaching teams will split and take
on more students after the first session. The congregation hopes to
serve 80 or more immigrants during the first year.
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (ELCA),
Springfield
Contact: The Rev. Michael Taylor, 703/451-4331
Award: $4,000
Project: The congregation will provide care and special
programs for children whose parents are attending ESL classes at the
church.
Page last modified July 7, 2008.
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